ARF bureau representative Hrant Margarian says.
- You stressed at the end of the year that this wasn’t the government of Dashnaktsutiun, as you don’t have a complete responsibility in it, don’t you want to be responsible for the bad work of this government?
- We don’t avoid of responsibility and don’t regret for the past. We have had 11 percent vote of confidence and have participated in the government’s activities with those 11 percents, it hasn’t been our authority, and in this case it must be considered very natural. If this authority were ours it should be differed first of all by its economic policy: it must have an emphasized social direction, second, public correlations must be based on justice: we believe that the authorities must take care of people, people must feel that the authorities worry about them. This wasn’t our authority, and you shouldn’t see anything bad in it, I don’t accuse anyone of it.
- Anyway, it is pre-electoral period, and it is obvious from your declaration that your party will assure the voters that this wasn’t its authority and others must be responsible for the mistakes.
- No, even if we weren’t inside the authority, the mistakes are ours because the political leadership of this country consists of everyone. If we can’t prevent any mistake, it is also our guiltiness. So we don’t avoid of responsibility. We want to come to power with our projects, spirit, culture, consequently we must explain it wasn’t ours, what we’ll create in May, 2007 will be ours, certainly, if we get people’s vote.
- Do you consider possible that the ARF will come to power completely?
- I consider it possible but I don’t want to excite my imagination as the mechanism of elections isn’t enough politicized in Armenia. I don’t want to offend anyone but must say that the forthcoming elections will be held round four things: curse, finance, levers and projects. We have our project and a will to achieve it. But in our bad social conditions when people have serious financial difficulties, psychological problems, they may prefer the assistance of temporary strong person to the project. But we’ll get the votes of the assured, politicized strata of our society.
- Wasn’t it offensive for Dashnaktsutiun that you devoted your party to Robert Kocharian for several times, assisted him but he formed a new party for him. Why didn’t your present rely on you?
- I think the answers of questions shouldn’t be so simplified. Our party gets true votes, and we prefer to make 8 percent 11, 11 to 20 and so on.
- Does it mean you are for phase development?
- Not for phase but logic development, we aren’t for false development, we believe that our presence in the NA must correspond to our real power, that real power is our conceptual democracy.
- If you become the opposition can you carry out your activities with ANM, “Alternative”, “Civic intolerance”, “Anti-criminal”?
- We can be self-dependent in the opposition as we were in the authority, it doesn’t frighten us, and Dashnaktsutiun can be a right example for everybody. Though seven years weren’t enough for some political forces to understand us and follow our example.
- Defense Minister didn’t exclude during his latest interview that he may nominate his candidacy in the presidential elections, if it is so, will you be for his candidacy?
- I have answered this question for several times. We’ll have our own candidate in the presidential elections.
- Will you be that candidate?
- No, I won’t be.
- Then who will be?
- The point is that there are a lot of candidates in our party.
- Will you lead the proportional list of your party?
- No, as I’m very busy and want to play more pan-Armenian role inside the party.